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Tenants Harbor man gets 7 years in sex case

This story was published on
May 10, 2003
on Page C3
in edition 2 of
the Bangor Daily News

ROCKLAND – A Tenants Harbor man was sentenced this week to 15 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of 11 sex offenses involving a girl.

On Dec. 5, a Knox County Superior Court jury found Donald R. Keating Jr., 44, guilty of one count of gross sexual misconduct, stemming from an Aug. 15, 1989, offense. He also was convicted of 10 counts of gross sexual assault against the same person. Those crimes occurred between Oct. 15, 1989, and Oct. 15, 1992.

Justice John Atwood presided at the trial and sentencing. The girl was described as being under 14.

On Monday, Keating was sentenced to 15 years in prison with all but seven years suspended, and six years probation.

Defense attorney Steven Peterson of Rockport appealed the sentence, so Keating remains free on bail pending that appeal. District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau represented the state in the case.

In December, Atwood ordered a presentence investigation and set bail at $50,000 single surety or $5,000 cash. After the verdicts, Rushlau argued for no bail, but the judge reasoned that the offenses had occurred 10 or more years ago, that Keating has had no criminal record since 1980, and that Keating had appeared throughout the process.